Hubnerite with Pyrite, Quartz

specimen number:
2072310

location:
Mundo Nuevo Mine, La Libertad, Peru

description:
Lustrous bladed crystals of hubnerite to 1.2 cm in size across the front of matrix with crystals of colorless quartz and bright lustrous pyrite. In good condition with very minimal damage present.

The Mundo Nuevo Mine, located in the Huamachuco District of the Sanchez Carrion Province in Peru, is a significant mineralogical site situated within the Western Cordillera of the Andes. Geologically, the deposit is a hydrothermal vein system hosted in Cretaceous sandstones and shales of the Chimmu Formation, where mineralizing fluids associated with Miocene-aged igneous intrusions deposited a variety of sulfides and tungstates. The locality is internationally recognized for its exceptional specimens of hubnerite, the manganese-rich end member of the wolframite series, which typically occurs as elongated, blade-like crystals with a deep reddish-black to metallic luster. Historically, mining and quarrying in the Mundo Nuevo area began in the early 20th century, with significant industrial development occurring in the 1960s and 1970s to extract tungsten and base metals like lead and zinc. While the mine has experienced periods of intermittent operation due to fluctuating global metal prices, it remained a prolific source of high-quality mineral specimens through the 2010s. As of 2026, Mundo Nuevo is regarded as a classic Peruvian locality, valued by mineralogists for the impressive size and crystalline perfection of its hubnerite crystals often found in association with quartz and fluorite.

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